Page 138 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

I can see Darian’s claws extend, and I immediately put my hand on his shoulder. “Relax. She’s not the enemy here.”

“She just said that my father’s daughter is not my sister.”

“Because you are not the king’s son,” Nara explains. “The king never had a son. Only a daughter.”

It’s my turn to go still. “Excuse me?” Darian is frozen solid, and I lift my hands, trying to calm myself down now. “Wait. What the hell are you talking about? Darian is the last king’s son. He is king now.”

Nara remains unflustered. “Soon after the king gave away his daughter, the queen died. She wasn’t able to handle her grief. The king then brought in a young child and claimed that he was his son. You are that boy, King Darian.”

“You’re lying.” Darian shakes his head, his voice unsteady. “My father would have told me.”

“It was a well-hidden secret,” Nara tells him. “The queen’s death was concealed. It was said that after the loss of her daughter, the queen was sent away to another estate to recover. Supposedly, she gave birth there and raised you until she died and you were sent to the royal palace. Your birth certificate and all records of you were altered. Nobody questioned your existence because itwas said that the king was traumatized by his wife’s death. It was all very carefully planned.”

“You’re lying,” Darian repeats hoarsely.

“I’m afraid I’m not. The king had no choice. He refused to take another mate. And if he didn’t take a mate and have another child, he would have to appoint a king. And if he did that, the royal family secrets would come out. Also, he couldn’t be sure whether the person he appointed would protect the white witches. He needed someone who would willingly begin to strip away power from them.”

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Darian looks over at me, and when I see the agony in his eyes, I wrap my arms around his waist.

“It doesn’t matter, Darian. You are the king,” I whisper.

My mate turns his head to address Nara again, his voice unsteady. “The other day, you said the true heir was coming. You mentioned it a few times. Are you saying the rightful owner of the throne will come back for it? Are you saying that my sister—no, that my father’s daughter is alive?”

“I cannot share the prophecy,” Nara says softly. “I cannot reveal that which will alter the future. But you are the king. Your mate is right. You may not have royal blood, but you are the king.”

“Not for long, though, right?” Darian replies. “When the true heir arrives, I will have to step down to prevent the war. I will no longer be the king.”

Nara is silent.

“It doesn’t matter, Darian,” I say adamantly. “It doesn’t matter to me whether you’re king or not.”

He gives me a small smile. “I know. I guess I could always move in with you.”

There is sadness in his eyes, and I know it’s not because of his title but the former king’s actions. To find out that the man he considered his father all these years wasn’t his biological father is not the kind of blow that any amount of words can soften.

“He loved you,” I reassure him. “You know he did.”

“Did he, though?” Darian asks quietly. “I spent my life trying to please the man, but he was never happy with me. Now, it makes sense why. Lucius must have known. That’s why he was always so disdainful of me.” He looks at Nara. “What about my parents? Who were they?”

She shakes her head. “The journals are filled with the truth, but there are certain things your father did not want to reveal, so he never wrote them down.”

“I want to read his journal.”

“I am afraid that is not possible at the moment,” Nara demurs. “The king was aware of the prophecy. He has made mentions of it in his journal. Until it has come to pass, you cannot see it. I cannot let the future be altered.”

“Is it because the future is in our favor right now?” I inquire.

“It does not matter,” Nara responds gravely. “A prophecy will always reveal multiple futures. We can guide those involved in the prophecy, but the rules restrict us from sharing anything that can help the individuals make an informed decision. Your father was not mentioned in the prophecy, but near the end of his life, he wanted to know it in its entirety, and I told him.However, the results of the prophecy will affect everyone you love. Therefore, I cannot allow you to read his journal. I am sorry.”

“Why mention it to me, then?” Darian snarls. “Baiting me—”

“That was not my intention. You already know a war is coming. With or without the prophecy, you would have known. I can tell you about the war, but I cannot tell you what actions to take that will impact it.”

“What about my parents? Surely, I came from someone.”

Once again, Nara’s answer isn’t helpful. “As I said, your father did not mention your birth parents in his journal.”

I can sense that Darian is breaking apart at the seams right now. Taking him by the hand, I pull him aside. He doesn’t meet my gaze, but I take his chin in my hand and force him to. “Darian, I know this isn’t easy.”

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